Somatoform Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Physical ailments are wake-up calls that something has happened in our body. Physical pain is the response to a certain stimulus or condition that we may be suffering from.
But these ailments do not always imply a physical alteration with a clearly identifiable origin.
In this article we will review what somatoform disorders are how these types of disorders happen, what their most common types are and we will talk about the treatments and therapies used in these cases.
Somatoform disorders are those in which an excessive level of anxiety and worry about potential or developing physical symptoms It causes these to intensify or enhance the appearance of others that are objectively reflected in the form of organic alterations in the body. They are a sign that the distinction between the body and the mind is, in reality, a fiction; In practice, the psychological and the organic go hand in hand and many times it is almost impossible to distinguish between the two.
It is considered normal that at some point in our lives we have all experienced somatoform symptoms without them progressing to become a significant problem.
Causes
Somatoform disorders are usually linked to some type of physical condition, at least during the initial stages. Then it is common for them to disengage from it and for psychological discomfort to predominate above the physical ailment
A good example is muscle pain. When the subject begins to experience a feeling of discomfort in a muscular region, and this persists for several days, the person associates this discomfort with a disease of considerable severity, although what may actually be causing this is high levels of stress, or the fact that it has been held in incorrect positions for too long.
In less intense cases, the subject is able to realize in time that he is reacting disproportionately face the situation and manage to remain calm. When the intensity is greater, the individual can become so obsessed with the idea that he or she has a severe pathology that he or she may go to see various specialists with the firm conviction that they will diagnose the illness that he himself has unintentionally fed.
When the specialist does the corresponding evaluation and does not detect any pathology the subject is not able to accept this diagnosis as true, and continues to seek new opinions.
It is an irrational belief, which in some cases can cause the subject to actually feel the physical discomfort of the disease they say they have, entering a state of hypochondria.
Types of somatoform disorders
Here you will find small descriptions about the types of somatoform disorders.
1. Body dysmorphic disorder
This consists of an exaggerated rejection by the subject of his or her body, or towards some specific part of it. If the person has a real physical defect, this is perceived by the subject in such a despicable way that he might even want to get rid of that part of his body.
When there is no obvious malformation, the subject with body dysmorphic disorder can create it. For example, if you don’t like the shape of your ears or nose, that situation would trigger the disorder.
2. Somatization disorder
These generally occur before the age of 30, and are physical symptoms perceived by the subject, for which he or she has sought medical help, but which at the time of evaluation do not reveal signs of any disease.
This disorder generates a high level of anxiety in people who suffer from them, and they are generally caused by stressors in the daily lives of these subjects.
3. Hypochondriac disorder
It’s about the perception of the specific symptoms of a disease that responds solely to the subjectivity of the subject The person does not actually have any real illness, but he still seeks to be evaluated with the firm conviction that he suffers from said illness.
It is not considered a psychotic disorder, taking into account that the person is aware that they may be acting disproportionately, but they still continue to do so.
4. Conversion disorder
In this case there are physical symptoms and signs, such as continuous muscle ailments or problems in the perception of some of the senses. This situation leads to the idea that there is a severe pathology that is causing said symptoms but in reality the origin of these conditions is purely psychological, unlike other somatoform disorders, the symptoms of this one are not produced premeditated by the subject.
Some examples of symptoms that may appear through this somatoform disorder may be tension headaches, paratonia, sexual dysfunctions, intolerance to some foods, etc…
In this case, there is physical pain in one or more parts of the subject’s body, and it usually occurs after an accident, illness, or simply a demand has been suffered in some region of the body. At first the pain is justified, but then it persists even though the affected area has completely healed.
Treatment
In these cases A multidisciplinary team must be used to stabilize patients physically and mentally ; It is generally made up of doctors who specialize in different areas, including a psychiatrist.
In some cases medication may be necessary when strong anxiety states occur. However, it will always be necessary for the subject to attend psychotherapy.
The treatment that leaves the best results is which is based on cognitive-behavioral techniques which seek to identify and change the subject’s maladaptive thoughts with more rational ones, which will allow them to better evaluate their real situation.
